Fast Recovery

I took quite a few days off after the Fargo Marathon last Saturday. My first run was on Thursday after work when I did 5.5 miles and I have to tell you I did not feel the marathon in my legs at all. I was very pumped by this as I usually feel it a little for a week or so.

My spring marathon season is over now. I decided not to return quickly and run the Sunburst Marathon in Indiana next weekend. I have already run 5 marathons in 2010 so far so I am taking a few months off the get some good training in. I would like get some good long runs in and some speed work on the track. Mile or 800 repeats are in order. Also some hill workouts to really get in shape. I would like to get my time down to 3:45 in the fall. There are 2 marathons I am eyeing up for a fast time and one that I don't think it is humanly possible run run a fast time on. Maybe one in September and maybe one in October.

I will be travelling up to Door County, Wisconsin. I love this place. I will be doing dome biking, swimming, and some running. No, I am not doing a triathlon. But there is a 10K at Maifest in Jacksonport that I think I will join on Sunday morning. Not sure what I can do in a 10K or if I will try to run all out but I will try to have fun.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Forecasted weather in Wisconsin is Spectacular. Don't forget to remember all our fallen heroes.

Race Report - Fargo Marathon

To be completely honest with you, I only did this marathon because Mike was going to it alone and needed some company, and that it was in a state that I had not run a marathon in yet, North Dakota. What I received was an absolutely wonderful marathon that had almost everything going for it, almost everything.

Mike and I got up early on Saturday and left for the race in plenty of time. It was cloudy and looked like it could rain at anytime. Driving to the FargoDome where the race started and finished was not too much of an issue. Yes, there was traffic, but since we left in plenty of time, there were no worries as we found parking about 2 blocks from the Dome. As we parked, the rain began. It wasn't a down pour but it was steady. About 45 minutes from the start, we headed out in the rain to walk to the Dome where they let everyone stay dry and warm. This was a really cool thing they have going for them especially since the weather was rainy.

The 10K started at 7AM and the half marathon at 7:30 so since the full started at 8, we wouldn't have to deal with all the half runners. Awesome to have them start separately. 10 minutes before the start, Mike and I make our way toward the start area complete with ponchos on to stay dry at least until the start. After a good national anthem and a few words from the Gov., we started off with the rain coming down.

I had planned on running with the 3:50 pace group and since the wind was low, I kept them in my sights for quite awhile. At mile 3, I turned to my right and there next to me running was Dean Karnazes. We chatted for about 3/4 of a mile and he said he had run the 10K prior to the marathon. What!?!?!, Well, I suppose, it is Dean Karnazes, so that makes complete sense. We had crossed into Morehead, Minnesota now for a few miles. I wish they had put up a sign stating this. Maybe they had one but I did not see it. We ran in Minnesota until mile 7 when we crossed the Veterans Memorial Bridge back into North Dakota. This is the memorial that is shown in the Fargo Marathon Poster and on the Finishers Medal. It was also at this time the rain finally stopped and all that was left were the puddles and not too much wind.

Miles 9 to 17 are one giant out and back which was a nice course but did not allow us to run in tangents to any curves or turns. Since all courses are measured to the tangents, this made us all run extra distance which was confirmed by my garmin which said 26.45 miles. Running the tangents is really the smart thing to do and is allowed since the course is measured that way, even if most runners do not follow this.

At about mile 10, I see blue skies in the distance. This did not make me happy as I knew the humidity was going to come and the wind with it. People along the course were asked to put out sprinklers for the runners and many of them did. I think I pasted maybe 15 or so people with sprinklers. This was a big help. At about half way, the sun peaked out and it got warmer and humid. It was about 60 at the start and now climbed into the 70's. I was feeling good through the half with a time of about 1:56:30, only a minute and a half off goal pace and still very confident. By miles 18, I was feeling the heat and humidity so I dialed it back a touch to make sure there was no crash and burn. I went through 20 at 2:59:06 but now giving up on 3:50 and pursuing a sub 4. Unfortunately, this is when the winds really picked up. Running though the downtown Fargo area between 21.5 and 23 turned into a very big challenge as the winds were whipping at over 20 mph with gusts over 30. One gust even pushed my into my other leg almost causing me to trip. But after 23, we ran with the wind for quite a bit but while it did help running with the wind, it did not offset the time we had to run into the wind. A little sand on the street didn't help either as if felt like a small sandblasting at times.

So far, I followed my plan of walk breaks only at water stops which were every 2 miles. At mile 22, the water stops were every 1 mile and I did take the breaks there. Only 30 seconds of walking but enough to keep me going. I got to mile 24 and I thought 4 hours was not going to happen or at least I needed a major push to do it. Also this is where the 4 hour pace leader passed me. At mile 25, I took my last break and calculated that I needed to run something like 8:30 pace to break 4. It was already off the mile marks by 0.2 of a mile so according to it, I was under 4 pace, but the race it to the finish line, not the garmin's 26.2 mile mark. I must have increased my pace but as I enter the FargoDome I knew I was in trouble. Turns out the clock changed to 4 hours just as I entered the building, a mere 75 meters or so from the finish line. Final Official Time was 4:00:16. Could I have picked up the 17 seconds needed to break 4 somewhere on he course? Sure, but that is the way it fell and I am OK with it. Not as OK with it if I have run a 3:59:59, but OK with it anyways. Considering the rain at the start, the warmer temps than I usually like to race in, the sun and humidity in the second half of the race, and he wind for the last 5 miles, I would say this effort and run was better than the 3:58 I ran at the Albany Marathon in March.

I was a touch dizzy after the race and had a quite warm head, so I was able to get an ice bag to help cool off. Then after a short line, was able to get lots of good food and drink after the race. They even had CHOCOLATE MILK! About time race officials realize many runners would like this. Bananas, bread, cookies, cracker, chips, pizza, water, all there for the runners and it seemed like they had plenty for all. After downing a few chocolate milks, I made my way to the Go Far Challenge table and got my 3rd medal for completing the challenge. 5K on Friday and the Full Marathon on Saturday. I was able to find Mike who was not feeling well and he crashed and burned pretty bad for himself even though he finished ahead of me. To use his words, he "sucked beyond sucking". I wish when I sucked I ran that fast.

After a nice warm showers and a few pictures, we headed out on the road for home.

So in a nutshell, here are my thoughts on the race. The organization was excellent. No problems at all getting registered, picking up my packet(s), starting the race on time, and finishing area. the FargoDome was an great central marathon location for the Expo, finish line, and post race area. With the very high winds by the end of the race and the rain at the start, being inside was awesome. The past feed was good for only $10 and all you could eat with Dean Karnazes to listen to while you eat. Really cool! The course was flat and fast. A great course to PR on if you wanted to. The only problem here was the inability to run the tangents. Fan support was excellent. It seemed like everyone in all of Fargo was either in the race or on the course cheering runners on. The finishers medals were really cool, way above average, the picture later doesn't do them justice. We even got a medal for finishing the 5K. Odd? Yes, but many people in that race where 5K virgins so it was cool for them to get a medal. The middle of the Go Far Challenge medal is a spiny piece says "Go Far Challenge" on one side and "How Far Did You Go" on the other. the back of the Marathon Medal had Hebrews 12:1 engraved. If you don't know it, look it up.

The shirts were the only bad part of the entire event. Marathoners got a long sleeve thick technical black and blue shirt with a zipper to the neck. Not my style and not one I would run in later. The 5K shirt was OK but not too colorful.

So I started out coming to Fargo to keep Mike company and to get check off another state but what I received was a really awesome race. I would definitely consider running this one again and I only wish Fargo was closer to home so I could easily do so. I highly recommend this marathon and it ranks in my top 5 for sure, maybe even top 3.

I have now completed 24 marathons so my next one will be a milestone race. Which one will it be? Not sure as of now. Very well may be in the fall, Grand Rapids or Des Moines are good possibilities.

Here are a few pictures from Fargo:

Mike and I after the race. The clouds returned.

This is the outside of the FargoDome and about 500 meters from the finish line. Look at the trees and the flags to see how much the wind was blowing.

This is the Finish Line inside the FargoDome by about 75 meters. The jumbo tron in the upper right side of the picture showed all runners finishing.

Here are the finishers medals. The picture is dark to they look more colorful in person.

Trip Report - Fargo Marathon

I am going to take my trip to Fargo to run the Fargo Marathon and put it into 2 posts. I will start with a report on the trip, expo, and 5K and then write a report on the actual marathon later. I will tell you that I did run and finished in 4:00:16. Yes, 16 seconds over 4 hours. Like I said, I will write about it in the next post.

Mike and I left on Friday morning to drive from outside Milwaukee all the way to Fargo. It was raining when we left but no problems as we took to the road. After close to 9 hours and a few short stops, we get to Fargo around 3 in the afternoon. After a quick check in to the Red River Lodge, we were off to the Fargo Dome for the Expo and 5K. 5K? I thought you were running a marathon?? Yes, I did run both. They had something called the Go Far Challenge which consisted on a 5K run on Friday evening followed by either the 10K, half marathon, or full marathon on Saturday. 3 medals is always better than 1, even if 1 of those medals is only for a 5K.

We find the Fargo Dome which very well may be the largest building in Fargo. It is a cool looking facility where the North Dakota State University football team plays their home games. Also, many concerts have been held there. The expo is held on the floor of the dome and was larger than I thought it would be. They had quite a few free samples to get and lots of vendors to check out. The Fargo Dome floor also served as the finish to all the races on Saturday including the Marathon. If you look at the small blue sign on the right side of the picture seemingly floating in the blue seat, that is the finish line.

After Mike and I were done with the expo, we get ready for the 5K which started at 6:30. I wanted to run this extremely easy to not tire me at all for the marathon 14 hours later. It seemed like the entire town was there for the 5K as there were 5197 finishers. It was warm and sunny so I tried to stay in the shade as much as I could until 5 minutes before the start. Since I wanted to run very easy, I started a about 50 yards back of the start line. There were still about 4000 people behind me so you would think all the runners ahead of me were actually just that, runners. Nope. The horn sounds to start and not 1 block into the race, there are walkers 4 abreast. Some people have no clue.

I did drink a lot of water during the day so I was well hydrated, a little over hydrated because a little over 1 mile in, I had to stop by a tree next to a gold course. (Sometimes it is good to be a guy). All of a sudden I hear a golf ball hit the street, good thing I heard it hit the street and not a loud scream of pain. I did finish the 5K at the easy pace I wanted to. 27:57.

I found Mike and we quickly headed to the pasta dinner. We needed to hurry because we wanted to see Dean Karnazes speak at the dinner. Dean Karnazes is also know as UntraMarathon Man. He is the guy who ran 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days a few years ago. We got a seat up close and had a very good pasta dinner and watched Dean speak. He was a little late as he had just run the 5K as well. It was a good program he put on and after the dinner, we met him down at the booth he was at for a quick conversation, and signed poster and a picture. We talked a bit about the Kids Marathon I am organizing and he seemed quite interested in it and made a quirky comment. He asked if the kids had to read the 0.2 of a book as well. Hmmm, good question.

Mike and I went back to the hotel and it wasn't long before before the lights were out and the zzzz's were flying.

After the marathon, we had already planned to drive all the way back home. Nothing like being in a car for 9 hours after running a marathon. The trip was smooth and Mike took a good nap as I listened to the Milwaukee Brewers baseball game as we drove through Minnesota. Good thing they were playing the Twins so I could find the game. Surprisingly I wasn't all that sore except for my back which really needs an adjustment. We made sure we stopped along the way to get a picture of the store we saw on the way up. Maybe I am weird (maybe?!?!?!) but I found the We Do Cows dot Com store quite funny. We finally got back to Mike's house just before Midnight and I got home 30 minutes later and was out quickly.

The driving, expo, and dinner portion of the trip went smoothly and well. I will tell you all about the race next.

Tapering Sucks!

Tapering sucks! Well, not the benefits from it, but the process sort of sucks if you ask me. I am not running today and did not run yesterday. Monday and Tuesday were only 4 and 3 miles respectively. I do feel like I have some extra energy which is good but what I hate is all the little aches and pains that I seem to get whenever I taper. Tuesday, my left knee was bothering me. Why? I have no clue, it just started hurting to the point where I was limping a bit. It is gone but now I have achy muscles. Must come from the lack of exercise that they are used to. This causes me no worries for the race though. It will all be gone when the race begins.

Speaking of the race, I leave tomorrow, very early, with Mike for the 9 hour drive to Fargo. We plan on getting there mid afternoon and in enough time to get through the expo and be ready for the 5K race at 6:30. We are going to run this very slow and relaxed.

The weather for Saturday is looking a bit crappy all of a sudden. Rain may begin at 6:00AM with temps about 61 at 8:00AM. This is warmer than I prefer but I will take what I get. A big issue may be the wind. Right now it looks like winds of 16 to 19mph from the southeast for the race. This could cause problems for the first half of the race. I may have to back off my plans a bit in order to avoid a crash and burn situation. It will now be a race time decision of what the pace will be. Best case scenario will be run with the 3:50 pace group (8:45 pace) and try my best to relax at that pace. If the winds are howling, I will back it off and run at 4 hour pace (9:09 pace).

That is all for now. See you on the other side of Fargo!

WELS Kids Marathon

I have procrastinated enough about telling you all about the WELS Kids Marathon that I am the director for. OK OK Here goes.

Some of you have been to marathons where they have a Kids Marathon as a part of the event. I decided to make up my very own Kids Marathon and last year was our inaugural year and we are now in the process if sign ups for the second year. The event goes like this. At the end of the school year, we invite school and kids to participate in the WELS Kids Marathon. The kids do not need to be a part of a school to join, it is just easier to attract kids through schools. We are a Christian based event but no not overly emphasis this as the main purpose it to get kids out exercising and reading. If a kid or parent wants to learn more about Jesus because of our event, Great! But we do not push it except of a small bible quote on the back of our shirts, a cross where the “T” in Marathon is, and we may give an inspirational book away at the final event if funds allow.

The kids who voluntarily join are required to run or walk 25.2 miles (I know it is 26.2 miles, hold on) over the summer in ¼, 1/2, or 1 miles segments and then also read either 26 books or read for 26 hours over the summer. Upon signing up, they receive running/reading log to keep track of their progress. This year the final event is being held on Saturday, August 28th in the morning where all the kids participating will gather to run their final mile (there is that last 1 mile) together. I have modeled this event after all the good things I like about a real full marathon. Music, festivities, food, race numbers, timer clock, etc. The kids receive a shirt at this event and when they cross the finish line, the receive their very own marathon finishers medal. We remind all the kids that by finishing a marathon, they are all winners!

Last year we had 197 kids participate with 10 schools. This year we have 22 schools participating and I anticipate close to 400 kids. It was such a huge success last year and we hope to keep it going. I am constantly thinking bigger and better but do not know where and how as of yet.

Being a Christian based program, there could be some problems attracting public schools to participate. This year we do have 4 public schools in South Milwaukee participating which is really cool yet I had one Catholic school that has reservations due to it not being a Catholic organization. Odd, huh. It is completely voluntary to join so we will see where it goes in the future.

It is so much fun sharing my love for running with kids around the Milwaukee area and showing them you do not have to be fast to run. I also love sharing the benefits to exercise and not always playing video games all summer. While I am not a very avid reader, I also feel it is important for the kids to read while they are out of school.

I know some of you have volunteered and have organized your own charity races and know the personal gratification that comes with putting on an event like this. You also know all the hard work that is involved. I have a good group of friend helping me put this on. We keep the entry cost at $12 to get more kids involved though our costs are much higher per kid. That is why we rely on sponsors to help us out. It is not always easy to get sponsors to donate, especially in this economy, but hopefully a few more will step forward and see the benefits we provide the kids and what benefits of exposure we can offer them.

If you have put on or been a part of organizing a race, drop a comment. I would love to hear about it!

Here is to fingers crossed on a great Second Annual WELS Kids Marathon.

No Watch = No Worries

I decided to run without my watch today after work. I was only going an easy 4 miles so I left it behind and just ran how I felt but kept it easy. My left arm felt naked but the run felt great. I have no idea how fast it was. Could have been as fast at 8:15 or a slow as 9:30, don't know!

I am in taper mode for Fargo. I only ran 8 miles this weekend on the track near my home. That was at 8:48 pace on Sunday morning. Now I plan on running tomorrow, maybe 3 miles easy and then take Wednesday and Thursday off. Friday is the long drive to Fargo with Mike and maybe Paul. It should take us a bit over 9 hours to drive there. We are then going to run the 5K on Friday evening as a part of the Go Far Challenge. I would like to run the marathon well so I plan on running this very easy, maybe 9:00 pace. After that we may try to go see Dean Karnazes speak as he is one of the guest speakers. I usually don't go to see these speakers but I saw his 50 states in 50 days video and he seems interesting.

So far the weather looks like it is good. At least no rain forecasted. A little warm for my liking but I will run in whatever I get. Than after we are done, we hit the road and try to get home by midnight, that is if we don't fall asleep on the way home.

The Great Milwaukee Race

I just signed up for a unique race that takes place in Milwaukee this June. It does involve running but that is not all of it. It is called The Great Milwaukee Race. It is the brainchild of a friend of mine who is part owner of InStep Running and Walking Center who is also the Race Director of the InStep Icebreaker Indoor Marathon.

This race is a like a distant cousin of the Amazing Race on CBS but on a small scale and lasting only 3 hours or so. Here is what it is. You create a team of 2 to 4 people who do the race together. You are required to solve 10 clues to different locations around the downtown Milwaukee area and then get to them either on foot or by public transportation (buses). Once at the clues location, the team must complete a challenge which could be mental or physical and range from deciphering codes, word searched, 3-legged race, wheel barrow race, etc. There is no set course to run and no set order to go to the clues so that is part of the challenge. The organizers think it will take between 2 to 4 hours to complete and total distance should be between 6 to 8 miles. The team finishes the race at a local bar for food and fun. Each team member gets a tshirt that we are required to wear during the race. There were many colors to choose from for the team, we chose Green.

My team will include my friends Mike and Paul. It sounds like an interesting race so I am excited to see what it will be like. The race is on Saturday, June 19th and I will definitely post all about it. If it is like the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon in quality, it will be an awesome event.

Race Report: Lake Geneva 5K

The Lake Geneva Marathon was on Saturday. As a part of the marathon, they have other races including a half marathon, Euro Cross Marathon (22 miles on the shoreline around the lake), a 10K and a 5K. My friends Chris and Paul were running the marathon but since I am running my next marathon in 2 weeks, I opted to run only the 5K and have it a nice fast Tempo run.

The day was cold and windy. I think it was in the upper 30's to low 40's for the start but the wind sure made a bite. I was able to get to watch the start of the marathon/half marathon in the middle of my warm up 2 miles and then change before the start of the 5K.

The 5K and 10K start together and are both on the same an out and back course with the 10K just going further. This course is a killer of a course though. Only the first 250 meters and the last 250 meters are flat, the rest is big hills. The first mile is 150 feet up followed in the next half mile of about 200 feet down and then 100 feet back up to the turn around. Then we have to do it all over again in reverse. It was wet out from the rain the night before and for the first 3/4 of a mile, we ran on a side walk that was occasionally bricks that were rather slippery. This is not necessarily a good course in my mind, at least for the first a last 3/4 of a mile. the rest was hilly but OK.

My goal was to run fast and see if I could place high. In few of the past years, there have been winning times that were achievable by me and other years not. I did not know what to expect this year. The horn sounds and off I go. We hit the sidewalk and I run a conservative pace knowing what is coming. There a quite a few guys a head of me after the first hill but I do not know which of these are in the 10K or the 5K. I get through the first hill without wasting too much energy and cruise down the crest. I begin to feel the next hill as it is a bit steeper than the first one but get to the top and see the turn around. A few guys keep going on the 10K but 3 guys were well ahead of me that turned around and the 5K. I get to the turn around and realize I am in 7th place. (Odd, that is the same place I was in 6 years ago at the turn around of the 10K in this race). I think my pace so far was 7:36, far off what I would do on a flat course which would have been closer to 6:30.

Right after the turn around, I pass one guy and see 2 others within striking distance but the 3 leaders are well ahead out of sight over hill and around curves. Now it is difficult to run a good course as we are running right into all the runners behind us and sometimes they are not looking ahead. The hill down is fast but only for a bit before we have to climb the last 100 foot hill. Again this is difficult but I knew where it ended and I knew it was all downhill after that. By the top of the last hill, I catch the next guy and pass him. I am now in 5th overall and have my sights on the next guy. We are directed onto the sidewalk again but this time we are going fast downhill so I felt this was kind of dangerous. Luckily there are no problems with my footing and I slowly real in the guy in front of me. With 250 meters to go, I am about 20 meters behind him and I see him take a quick look back, I was hoping this was a sign of weakness so I pushed even harder. Not my luck, he just put in a a great finishing kick and I could not catch him. I finish in 22:27. This time would have won the race last year, but not this year. I did win my age group though and was not beat by any one older than me so that was good.

This course was very difficult and I estimate it adds about 2 minutes onto your 5K time. I was talking to the guy right before me and the guy right behind me after the race and we ended up doing a cool down run together. Actually, they joined me for the first mile and then turned back but they seemed like nice guys and we had a good conversation. I ended up running an additional 6 miles along the lake path along the giant mansions on the lake. About 2 miles in, I was looking down at my footing and noticed a piece of paper on the ground. I pick it up and notice it is cash. I pick it up and look around and no one is to bee seen in either direction so I guess it is my lucky day. Ends up it was 2 five dollar bills so my cool down became quite lucrative.

After the cool down and awards, I get in my car and drive the marathon course backwards looking for Chris and Paul. I knew it would be a struggle for them as it was very windy. I find Chris struggling but still on a pace I would be giddy over. He ends up running a 3:24 for 12th place, far off what he is capable of running. Paul is running his second marathon of May already but he still managed to run a 3:59.

The race did offer a nice pizza buffet for all runners so that was a nice touch. When I ran the 10K 6 years ago, my award for first in my age group was a lunch bag that I use ever day. It is not falling apart for 6 years of use and secretly I was hoping to place again this year so maybe I could get a new lunch bag. I did place but this year I got a blue Lake Geneva Extreme Sports beach/bath towel. Guess I need to go and buy a new lunch bag. LOL

Chris Solinsky is Fast!

Did you hear or see the 10K run at Stanford over the weekend? Chris Solinsky destroyed the American Record for the 10K. He ran it in 26:59.60. Yes, that is under 27 minutes for 6.2 miles! That is an average of 4:21 per mile!

I have a liking for Chris Solinsky and his running team in Oregon. Chris grew up in Stevens Point, WI, a city I ran many track meets in at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is a local kid who did what it took to become the best 10K runner in American History! He went to college at Wisconsin and even trained after college in Madison until last year when the team moved to Oregon to train under the Nike name. I have been following his progress in the news since he was a sophomore in High School, winning the Foot Locker High School National Cross Country Championship as a senior and then multiple NCAA Championships while attending Wisconsin. And now Chris is the fastest "non-African" in history at 10K.

It is a shame we have to say "non-African" and maybe one day it will just be fastest ever. But for now, it was great to see him come into his glory in the national and world stage with this major win and time. If you want to watch the race, see it here. It is fun to watch and his final 800 meters (2 laps) are amazingly fast (1:56).

One last thing. Please join me in praying for those in Nashville and the surrounding areas. Seems it rained there this weekend, and rained . . . and rained . . . and rained . . . There is severe flooding and many people lost homes, cars, and some, their lives. I was there 2 months ago passing through and visited the Opry Land Resort. Now it is under 10 feet of water and there are billions of dollars worth of damage. God has his own plan and we may not like it all the time, but we will live it. But He will hear our prayers and help those in need.

Running With The Jog Stroller

When I first had kids, I decided that I wanted to get a jog stroller so I could go out on runs and have them along to enjoy the scenery and time with Dad. Every time I get a chance to do this, i love it . . . still. Yesterday was no exception.

I went on a short 4+ miler with Katelynn on a windy day. It is not easy to run on a windy day, especially when running INTO the wind. She is now 4 1/2 years old and I won't have too much longer to be able to push her while running. In the past, the girls have slept while running, looked around, sang, and even babbled a lot. It is always entertaining and fun. The only problems come when they try to put their foot on the front wheel while we are moving, this is a no-no. Usually they soak all the sights in and enjoy the fresh air. And if you have read my posts in the past, you will know that I even join some races with them in the jog stroller. No marathons, they don't allow it usually and I don't think they would like it for that long but I have gone as long as a 15K race.

Today was an easy 5 miler on some trails near my work. It was a windy but warm day in the low 80's. The trails are not easy but I kept it slow.

I am thinking of entering a 5K this weekend. The Lake Geneva Marathon, Half Marathon, Euro Cross, 10K and 5K. It is a very tough 5K course with 3 major hills on the course each 150 feet. So if I do it, I have no aspirations of breaking 20 minutes but a good fast run would feel nice. At the start of the year, I was planning on running the Euro Cross Country Marathon (22 miles around the lake shore) but decided not to when I entered Fargo. I have a couple friends running the marathon so I can watch them start, run my race, do a long cool down, and then cheer them on during the last few miles. I will then have 2 weeks to get ready for Fargo.

So Good Luck to Chris at Lake Geneva. And good luck to Paul and Laura if they run.

Some Time With The Girls

Yesterday's plan was for 13 miles down near the lakefront of Milwaukee. I went on a mapping site and mapped out a nice 13 miler that went out on a pier and back, along the shoreline, along the Lakefront Marathon course, down 2 different bike paths used in 2 different local runs and finished where the Lakefront Marathon finishes. After a night of rain, it was nice to get down there just as the sun came out. there was a slight breeze but it was warm. Great running weather for a training run. I ended up going 13.1 miles, a nice half marathon, in 1:57:27, faster than I really wanted to go but good.

Last night was a night with 2 of my daughters. It was the annual Father-Daughter dance at their school. It turned out to be a nice evening with a really good dinner put on bu the leaders of the group they are in that put it on. We had turkey and beef along with potatoes and corn. Now if I could only get my oldest to eat, we would be in business. She misses out on so much good food because of her stubbornness. After dinner, there was some dancing the all the girls had a great time jumping around and having Dad all to themselves. In my case, I had 2 along and there was one other Dad with 2. The Dads had fun as well. Here is a picture before we left: